Process for making reinforced thermoset articles

ABSTRACT

An improved process for rapidly making reinforced thermoset articles from molding compositions which include unsaturated polyester resins and fillers utilizing molding apparatus having heated mold surfaces. The molding composition includes 0.1 to 0.20 parts by weight of polyacrylates of polyepoxides. The cure time for the resulting article is less than one-half that required for molding compositions containing the identical unsaturated polyester resins without the polyacrylates of polyepoxides.

United States Patent [72] inventors Glenn R. Svoboda Grafton, Wis.; Fred G. Singleton, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Lindley l-l. Eshleman, Port Washington, Wis. [21] Appl. No. 838,339 [22] Filed July 1, 1969 [45] Patented Nov. 16, 1971 [73] Assignee Freeman Chemical Corporation Port Washington, Wis.

Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 516,739, Dec. 27, 1965, now abandoned.

[54] PROCESS FOR MAKING REINFORCED Primary Examiner- Robert F. White Assistant Examiner-G. Auville Anorneys-Harry B. Keck and George E. Manias ABSTRACT: An improved process for rapidly making reinforced thermoset articles from molding compositions which include unsaturated polyester resins and fillers utilizing molding apparatus having heated mold surfaces. The molding composition includes 0.] to 0.20 parts by weight of polyacrylates of polyepoxides. The cure time for the resulting article is less than one-half that required for molding compositions containing the identical unsaturated polyester resins without the polyacrylates of polyepoxides.

1 2 PROCESS FOR MAKING REINFORCED THERMOSET isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, adipic acid, oxalic acid, en- ARTICLES domethylene tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, endomethylene tetrahydrophthalic acid, hexachloroendomethylene CROSS'REFERENCES To RELATED APPLICATIONS (IF tetrahydrophthalic acid, hexachloroendomethylene ANY) 5 tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, maleic acid, maleic anhydride, This application iS a continuatiomimpa'i-t f c(mending fumaric acid, itaconic acid, citraconic acid, and the like. piication Sci. 5 7 39 fil d Dec. 27 1965 which became The resulting polyester is dissolved in a suitable unsaturated abandoned f ll i the fili fthi application cross-linking monomer containing terminal (=C H- such as styrene, vinyl toluene, divinyl benzene, methylmethacrylate, BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l ethylmethacrylate, methylacrylate, ethylacrylate, acrylic acid, Y methacrylic acid, diallyl phthalate, triallyl cyanurate, 1. Field of the Invention orthochloro-styrene, and the like.

Customarily the unsaturated polyester resin composition contains a suitable polymerization inhibitor such as The process of making reinforced plastic articles in molding apparatus having heated surfaces utilizing molding composiggtggi::fgfigifgfggf resms l hydroquinone, quinone, alkyl phenols, and the like to prevent Unsaturated polyester resin compositions are widely used in premature g i The maieflals are r to hardtineij thirmodem industry. These materials include an ethylenically un- 9'9 condition by the Iaddmon of sun-able polymerization m saturated polyester resin which is in itself the polyesterificamators Such as orgamc pemxy compounds for example tion reaction product of polyhydric alcohols and polycarboxf peroxlde i g x l r The ylic compounds such as polycarboxylic acids or polycarboxylyze resm composl Ions are y ea c 0 ac pmmp ie acid anhydrides wherein at least a portion of the polycarcuring boxylic compounds contain ethylenic unsaturation. The un- Moidmg composltlons are formulated 40 p Pans saturated polyester resin is combined with suitable cross-linkby Welsh of the uhsamrfned P y ster resin composition and ins compounds having a terminai from 60 to 5 by weight of essentially inert fillers such as carbonates, silicates, clays, glass fibers, mineral fibers, pig- C=GH, ments, and the like. The molding compositions usually contain a small quantity of a mold release agent.

radical. In order to take advantage of high-speed manufacturing techniques, it is desirable that such compositions be S MMARY OF THE INVENTION rapidly cured in certain circumstances. Rapid curing composilions are Particularly desirable Where the unsaturated According to the present invention, the cure time required polyester resin is combined with essentially inert fillers which f r ki ld d ni l f m unsaturated polyester resin may includ fi rous r inforcement t f m m d g molding compositions can be lowered to commercially desired pounds. Such molding compounds are commercially used in values i h adversely ff ti th quality of the cured matched metal dies which are operated at elevated p resinous products. This improvement is achieved in molding F- Rapid curing composihqns are also desirable in P apparatus having heated molding surfaces by incorporating iiifc'fi'iti'iiii iiiisii'i l i 'ii i' i l i 535:1311 "3, '1. 'f"ifi5%"%?" "ii" i P- PE l O. to. parts yweigtpreera y. to. parts y tinuous reinforcing fibers are impregnated with unsaturated 40 weight) f a polyacrylate based on the weight f the unsaw- Polyester resin and Pulled Phrough a heated T rated polyesters in the composition. The polyacrylate is one spezd of resin cure determines the speed of the pultrusion which is he reaction product f a polyepoxide d an P hchohethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid which may be PolymenzablF polyacrylates of polyepoxlde? know methacrylic acid or acrylic acid. The polyepoxide and carboxthe an f' f of homopolymenzanon and of ylic acid are combined in stoichiometric proportions to procopolymenzation with unsaturated polyesters. See US. Pat. vide approximately moi fthe id f a h epoxide group. 3'256'226; 3'301'743; A slight excess of the acid is tolerable. The resulting Polyester Resins copolymerizable polyacrylate is essentially free of unreacted epoxy groups.

Unsaturated polyester resin compositions are prepared by A preferred copolymerizable polyacrylate is the reaction reacting polyhydric compounds with polycarboxylic comproduct of 1 mol of the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A and 2 pounds under esterification conditions. The polycarboxylic mols of methacrylic acid. Other suitable polyepoxides incl u de compounds may be polycarboxylic acid anhydrides so long as similar epoxy resins having higher epoxide numbers such as:

0 0 ca, oHoH,o -cocmt mcmo- IJ m \CHI 'JH OH H (C 3):

substantial portion of the polycarboxylic compound contains wherein n has a value from zero to about l0. ethylenic unsaturation. The present copolymerizable polyacrylates can be prepared Typical polyhydric compounds include ethylene glycol, by the reaction of 2 mols of an ethylenically unsaturated polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, glycidyl ester such as glycidyl methacrylate or glycidyl acrybutylene glycol, polybutylene glycol and the like. Typical carlate, with 1 mol of a Bisphenol or a Bisphenol ether having the boxylic compounds include phthalic acid, phthalic anhydride, formula:

wherein n has a value from zero to about 10.

Other suitable epoxides include the polyepoxides of phenolformaldehyde novalac resin:

wherein m is an integer from zero to five and R is hydrogen or an alkyl substituent having one to four carbon atoms.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT( S) The production of reinforced molded articles from molding apparatus having heated molding surfaces can be speeded by the practice of the present process. In such processes, as presently practiced, a suitable molding composition, sometimes called the premix composition, is introduced into a molding apparatus having heated molding surfaces, e.g., a matched metal die molding apparatus or a pultrusion apparatus. The molding composition of fillers and resin is retained within the molding apparatus at a temperature of 150 to 500 F. for a molding period which is established by the mold operator through experience, taking into consideration the precise properties of the molding composition, the size and complexity of the ultimately molded product, the cycling characteristics of the molding apparatus, mold heating capacity, et cetera. Following the molding period, the molding composition is separated from the heated molding surfaces and is recovered as a cured thermoset reinforced plastic article.

By practicing the present invention, the molding period can be shortened to less than one-half of that which is required for the operation with the otherwise identical unsaturated polyester resin composition for the same part at the same molding temperature.

The benefits and unexpected properties of the present process improvement will be described through the following examples.

EXAMPLE l A conventional polyester resin was prepared from the following ingredients:

30.93 pounds propylene glycol 32.86 pounds maleic anhydride 14.52 pounds isophthalic acid 1.0 grams hydroquinone The described ingredients were esterified at about 400 F. for several hours to produce an unsaturated polyester resin having an acid value of 19 to 25. The quantity of unsaturated polyester resulting after elimination of the water of esterification was 71.0 pounds. The unsaturated polyester was combined with 29 pounds styrene to form 100 pounds of a standard polyester resin syrup, identified as resinous composition 1, which is commercially useful in molding powders.

EXAMPLE 11 A typical molding composition is commercially prepared from 60 pounds of the resinous composition 1, 40 pounds Mc- Namee clay, 0.6 pounds added styrene, 0.6 pounds benzoyl peroxide and 0.12 pounds Zelac U.N. (a commercially available mold release agent). The molding composition, identified as molding composition 11, was introduced into a commercial automobile hood mold and a commercial automobile fender mold which operate at about 275 F. Both molds are of the matched metal die variety (Modern Plastics, op. cit. page 631 having heated mold surfaces. The required molding time is about 2 minutes. Some crazing tendencies are observed in resin-rich bosses of the molded part where the thickness is approximately 0.375 inch. The term "molding time" refers to the elapsed time between placing the composition in the matched metal die and removing the parts from the mold,

EXAMPLE Ill The rapid curing resinous composition of this invention was prepared as follows and identified as resinous composition [I]:

90.00 parts by weight of the resinous composition 1;

8.00 parts by weight of the reaction product of 15.2 parts by weight of methacrylic acid and 30.6 parts by weight of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A, essentially free of unreacted epoxy groups 2.00 parts by weight added styrene.

EXAMPLE IV 60 pounds of resinous composition II] was combined with 40 pounds McNamee clay, 0.6 pounds added styrene, 0.6 pounds benzoyl peroxide and 0.12 pounds Zelac U.N. (a commercially available mold release agent). The mixture is identified as molding composition lV.

An automobile hood and an automobile fender were fabricated in the identical described mold at 275 F. with molding composition W. A molding time of approximately 20 seconds was achieved. The mold was actually closed for 10 to 13 seconds. The molded parts were uniform in composition. The resin-rich bosses did not exhibit any crazing. The Barcol hardness development of the parts, measured 3 minutes afler removal from the mold, was the same as that of the commercial molding composition 11 previously described. After 1 hour, the Barcol hardness was 60-65.

The molded parts included two plies of 1.75-ounce glass fiber mats and two plies of 10 millimeter glass fiber veils. The physical properties of the molded parts include:

Tensile Strength 18,500 p.s.i. Tensile Strength 0.875Xl0 p.s.i. Tensile Elongation 3.4 percent Flexural Strength 34,350 p.s.i.

Impact, lzod, notched 20.0 ft.-lbs.

EXAMPLE V EXAMPLE Vl Motor covers with glass fiber reinforcement were prepared in the commercial molds of example V at 260-265 Fv with a molding time of 45 seconds. The cavity temperature was 285 F. Three different resinous compositions were utilized as follows:

A. Resinous composition 1 B. Resinous composition 111 C. A mixture of three parts of resinous composition 111 and one part of resinous composition 1. The motor cover from composition (A) was obviously undercured. Following molding, the two motor covers from resins (B) and (C) were baked at 325 F. for 30 minutes. Both of the motor covers were uncracked and uncrazed. There was no evidence 01 undercure. All of the three motor covers were fabricated without glass fiber surface veils, which are normally applied in such motor covers. The absence of the surface veil renders the tests (A), (B), (C) more severe than the usual commercial opera tion insofar as the surface appearance of the products is concerned.

EXAMPLE Vll Resinous composition IV was used in the commercial automobile hood and fender molds described in example 11. With the mold at 275 F satisfactory hoods and fenders were obtained at 20 seconds molding time. At temperatures of 300 F., molding times of 10 to 14 seconds yield satisfactory products.

Resinous composition lll contains 0.7lX90.0=63.9 parts by weight of unsaturated polyester. Resinous compositions 111 contains 8.0 parts by weight of the copolymerizable polyacrylate of methacrylic acid and the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol- A. Thus the resinous composition 11] contains about 0.125 parts by weight of the polyacrylate for each part by weight of the unsaturated polyester.

The molding composition (C) of example Vl contains about 0.0913 parts by weight of the polyacrylate for each part by weight of the unsaturated polyester.

It should be observed in the foregoing examples that the polymerizable resinous compositions which contain the copolymerizable acrylate achieve a more rapid curing cycle. Contrast example Vll with example ll wherein the required molding time can be changed from 2 minutes, as presently practiced, to 20 seconds with the present invention.

Typical polyester resin compositions include from 50 to 80 parts by weight of the alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated polyester and from 50 to 20 parts by weight of the unsaturated cross-linking monomer, such as styrene. Such compositions are identified in the resin industry as syrups The present polymerizable compositions can be obtained by combining such syrups with the present acrylate or methacrylate materials. The present acrylate or methacrylate materials may themselves be available in a liquid composition including unsaturated cross-linking polymers, unsaturated cross-linking monomers containing terminal such as styrene. ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, and the other materials already mentioned herein. From about 1 to 20 parts by weight of the acrylate or methacrylate are provided for each part by weight of the alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated polyester itself.

Accordingly the active ingredients in the present thermosetting resinous compositions include from about 50 to 80 parts by weight of the unsaturated polyester resins; from to 50 parts by weight of the cross-linking material having a terminal radical; and from I to 20 parts by weight of the present copolymerizable polyacrylate.

The polymerizable resinous composition of example lll contained 63.9 parts by weight unsaturated polyester resin; 28.] parts by weight of cross-linking material (styrene); and 8.0 parts by weight of the present copolymer.

The unexpected character of the present improvement becomes evident from the following comparison of matched metal die molding with premix molding compositions made from:

Resin 1-Conventional unsaturated polyester resin of the type described in example I;

Resin 2A styrene solution containing 20 parts by weight styrene and 80 parts by weight of the reaction product of 2 mols methacrylic acid and 1 mol of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A;

Resin 3-A mixture of one part by weight of Resin 2 and 9 parts by weight of Resin 1. I

All three premix resin compositions were employed in a conventional commercial matched metal die molds. The results are tabulated:

Required Mold Surface Molding Premix Temperature Time Resins Type Degrees F.

Minutes Polyester Polyacrylate Both 260-2 th less than Thus the additive material, by itself (the polyacrylate in styrene), does not achieve shorter molding times than the polyester by itself-but instead requires significantly longer molding times; compare the results of resin 1 and resin 2. Hence it is indeed unexpected that the mixture of resins l and 2 would achieve a lowered cure time than either resin 1 or 2 alone. It should be noted that the results reported in this paragraph were obtained from an existing commercial molding installation.

The unexpected character of the present invention can be further emphasized by establishing its uniqueness to molding installations having heated molding surfaces. The present molding compositions, for example, for not manifest the increased cure time when they are employed in hand layup curing of unsaturated polyester resins. In order to establish this difference, the three resins just described were mixed with benzoyl peroxide, a conventional hand layup resin initiator, and the SP] Gel Time F.) for each resin was measured. The results of this evaluation follow:

SPI Gel Time. Resin Minutes Thus, while the conventional unsaturated polyester resin achieved a gel in 4.5 minutes and the polyacrylate resin achieves a gel in 8 minutes, the mixture of the two requires 1 1 minutes for gelatin. This results when the mixture of the polyacrylate and the unsaturated polyester rein is allowed to cure underhand layup conditions, i.e., not in engagement with a heated molding surface. Hence the improved curing time which is the subject of the present invention, is unique to the heated mold surface processes, and is not achieved with other reinforced plastics fabricated processes.

We claim:

1. In the method for producing a molded reinforced plastic article from fillers and unsaturated polyester resin composition which comprises:

a. introducing molding composition comprising a polymerizable unsaturated polyester resin composition and inert fillers into a molding zone having heated molding surfaces;

b. retaining said molding composition within said molding zone at a molding temperature of ISO to 500 for a molding period;

. separating said molding composition from said molding surfaces after said molding period and recovering a cured, reinforced plastic article; the improvement comprising;

. prior to step (a), adding to each part by weight of the said unsaturated polyester resin composition by weight from 0.01 to 0.20 parts by weight of a polyacrylate which is essentially free of unreacted epoxy groups and is selected from a class consisting of:

7 8 I. a reaction product of polyepoxide and ethylenically un- The improvement of Claim 1 wherein the Said P y p saturated carboxylic acid selected from the class conide has the formula! sisting of acrylic and methacrylic acid; and R R R I CH1- CH,-

II. a reaction product of a Bisphenol having the formula 0 0 0 O /O\ CHgCfi \CHZ CHgCfl CHI n1 CH2GH CH: I OH l (CH3): (CH3)2 n herein n has a value from zero to about 10, and a glycid l wherein m is an integer from zero to five and R is hydrogen or ester selected from the class consisting of glycidyl acrylate and n alkyl Substituent having one to four carbon atom; l id l methacrylate; d 4. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the said polyepoxe. carrying out the step (b) for a molding period which is ide has the formula:

E 2 CH; CHCH O- --cy )0 cm cncmo -c )ocmcfi CH,

l 0H l 3): n H3): less than half of the said molding period required at the wherein n has a value from zero to about 10. said molding temperature for the identical unsaturated 5. The improvement of claim 1 where the said molding zone polyester resin composition which does not contain the is a matched metal die mold. said polyacrylate. 6. The improvement of claim 1 where the said molding zone 2. The improvement of claim I wherein the said polyepoxis a pultrusion die. ide is diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-Ar t a 

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the said polyepoxide is diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A.
 3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the said polyepoxide has the formula:
 4. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the said polyepoxide has the formula:
 5. The improvement of claim 1 where the said molding zone is a matched metal die mold.
 6. The improvement of claim 1 where the said molding zone is a pultrusion die. 